Women’s basketball takes on the French Riviera

Last weekend CBS women’s basketball team hit the French Riviera for some sun, sand and ballin. Seven CBS Sport players and one coach (who may or may not have taken the wrong bus from the airport) arrived in the midst of football fever for the European Championships. They soaked up the atmosphere in Nice and its neighbouring cities before the tournament kicked off on Saturday 18 June.

The event took place in the idyllic Golfe-Juan and was made up of ten ladies teams and eight male. It was the fourth year the tournament took place, and the first time a non-French team was involved. CBS took on the local team first and raced into the lead, but the pace of the game picked up and Golfe-Juan ran out winners by 15 points. After easing into the tournament on the indoor court the second game was on the asphalt outside, the rain clouds descended and it seemed like the girls were back in Denmark rather than on the French coast.

Game two was a dramatic one, which was eventually abandoned after an incident where CBS player Elina Kiukas collided with a French player, which resulted in an excursion to the local hospital in Antibes in a fire engine. Three stitches in her eyebrow later she returned to the gym rocking an impressive black eye but still with plenty of team spirit. And at least all of her teeth were intact, unlike the French player. The game had been abandoned while CBS were well behind so it was zero wins from two games.

The DJ played on and it was time for game three and for the sun to make a reappearance. Just six players now remained, all feeling the effects of the first two games and the two month break since the season ended in Denmark. But the group rallied and put in a good performance to mark their first win of the tournament, with a strong team performance on a slippery surface.

For the final game of the day the team went down to five when one of the players suffered a back problem. But against the strongest team in the pool CBS went all out, and it was neck and neck until the final three minutes when the opposition ran in some fast break layups. With all the day one games over it was time to hit the beach party and throw down some dance moves late into the night.

On Sunday the team was in action again, a little bit worse for wear after the night before, with a few more mosquito bites and some aching muscles. They had just one game to finish the tournament and gave it everything they had to record their second win and end on a high note. Then it was back to Nice for a stroll on the promenade and a taste of France’s famous snails.

The team would like to thank all the organisers of the tournament who were so warm, welcoming and helpful. A big thank you also to Susanne Rochette for organising their participation in the event and the chance to visit one of Europe’s most beautiful regions.